iPhone 5 sales top 5 million during launch weekend

Demand continues to outstrip supply.

On Monday, Apple announced that the iPhone 5 topped its previous first weekend sales record of 4 million units set by the iPhone 4S last year. In just three days, Apple moved over 5 million units, the company said, despite some early preorders being delayed until October.

"Demand for iPhone 5 has been incredible and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date."

The iPhone 5 launched on September 21 in US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK. The device was available to preorder beginning at midnight on September 14, and stock set aside for US preorders sold out in approximately one hour. Apple previously announced that customers had preordered over 2 million iPhone 5s within 24 hours.